This invention relates to the art of lithium batteries, and more particularly to a new and improved solid cathode, liquid organic electrolyte lithium battery for delivering high current pulses.
One area of use of the present invention is with an implantable cardiac defibrillator, although the principles of the present invention can be variously applied. Recent advances in the implantable cardiac device industry have led to the development of implantable cardioverter/defibrillators. The purpose of the implantable defibrillator is to prevent sudden death from lethal arrythmia. In operation, the defibrillator device continuously monitors the heart rate of the patient, is able to recognize ventricular fibrillation, and subsequently delivers high energy shocks to defibrillate the heart.
Concurrently, there developed a need for batteries to power this type of device. In particular, the ability of an implantable battery to deliver a current pulse and rapidly recover its open circuit voltage has become an important performance characteristic. Defibrillatiors are expected to function alone or in conjunction with a pacemaker, thus demanding high capacity, low self-discharge, and good pulsing behavior of a power source at all levels.